Exercising device



Nov. 1, 1955 s. TARAPCZYNSKI EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent EXERCISING DEVICE Sigmund Tarapczynski, Niagara Falls, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Joseph Violante, Niagara Falls, N. Y.

Application February 28, 1952, Serial No. 273,793

3 Claims. (Cl. 272-34) This invention relates to exercising devices and is particularly concerned with such devices of the type used for lifting exercises.

By way of explanation, lifting exercises with bar bells which comprise a straight metal rod having a weight secured on each end thereof are widely used by athletes for body development and training. Such bar bells, however, have limited usefulness since many types of exercises involving the use of Weights, for example those designed for performance with dumbbells, cannot be done with them.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an exercising device which not only may be used like a conventional bar bell but which also may be employed in performing known exercises, such as the twoarm curl, two-arm pull-in, and two-arm side curl, that are ordinarily performed with dumb-bells and cannot be carried out with a conventional bar bell.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercising device of the bar bell type which is so constructed as to make the performance of certain exercises more convenient and practical.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an exercising device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the exercising device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

As Will be seen from the drawings, the exercising device of the present invention has a decided resemblance to a conventional bar bell. tion is constructed in a novel manner so as to permit the performance of numerous exercises therewith which have heretofore been impossible of performance with a conventional bar bell. As shown, the device comprises a yoke or lifting member 5, formed of a bar which is circular in cross section, upon the aligned straight ends 9 of which weights 10 may be supported. The Weights may be of any conventional construction such as the plates illustrated.

Intermediate its ends the yoke 5 is offset to provide a pair of spaced transverse grips 7 which, as shown, are bisected by the axis. of the ends 9 of the yoke. Between the transverse grips 7 the center portion 6 of the bar forming the yoke 5 is curved inwardly in the same plane as the transverse grips. Inclined or obliquely-angled portions 8 of the yoke join the center portion 6 and the transverse grips 7 to the axially aligned ends 9 thereof.

The inwardly curved portion 6 of the yoke 5 is important for two reasons. In the first place, it serves to give better balance to the exercising device by placing part of the yoke weight nearer the axis of the yoke ends 9.

However, the device of the inven- 2,722,419 Patented Nov. 1, 1955 In the second place the curvature provides clearance for the user of the exercising device. This is particularly useful in certain exercises which involve lifting the device over or close to the head or in lifting exercises in which the yoke is straddled.

From the foregoing description it Will be evident that the construction of the exercising device of the present invention is such that it may be used in a variety of ways. Thus the yoke may be grasped with the hands on the oblique-angled portions 8 or on the portions designated A of the center portion 6 for exercises of the type normally performed with bar bells. On the other hand the parallel transverse grips 7 which are at right angles to the axis of the ends 9 permit grasping the exercising device in the same manner as with dumb bells. Accordingly, exercises of the type which can ordinarily be performed only with dumb bells may readily be carried out with the present device.

It should be noted that the exercising devices of the present invention are stabilized by centering the weight thereof around the axis of the yoke ends 9. Further more, the transverse grips 7 being joined by the portion 6 of the yoke 5 are maintained parallel. Consequently, when used in performing dumb bell type exercises, the present exercising device prevents or shows up a common tendency to favor one arm or the other. With ordinary dumb-bells this tendency is manifested by uneven lifting and misalignment of the dumb-bell bars.

It will be understood that certain changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of parts as shown and described above Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An exercising device of the character described which comprises a yoke, said yoke having axially aligned straight ends and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion including a pair of transverse gripping portions spaced from said ends, said gripping portions being parallel and connected at corresponding ends thereof by a bar, said bar being curved inwardly in the plane of said gripping portions, said gripping portions being disposed at right angles to the axis of said yoke ends and being substantially bisected thereby, and a weight on each end of said yoke.

2. An exercising device of the character described which comprises a yoke, said yoke having axially aligned straight ends and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion including a pair of parallel, transverse gripping portions disposed at right angles to the axis of said ends and substantially bisected thereby, said gripping portions being connected at corresponding ends thereof by a curved bar and each gripping portion being connected at its other end to one of said yoke ends by an inclined bar, said curved bar being curved inwardly in the plane of said gripping portions, and a weight on each end of said yoke.

3. An exercising device as set forth in claim 2 in which said yoke is an integral, bent bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 460,270 Somerby Sept. 29,1891 2,508,567 Dymeck May 23, 1950 2,617,650 Landis Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,696 Great Britain 1900 

